The DO's, The DONT's and Everything IN-BETWEEN-Chin POV
by Recklis
Summary: A continuation of the previous story...Steve, In Chin's perspective.


**DISCLAIMER* I own none of them :(**

 **Since I'm new...and have no idea how to do chapters (LOL) I have to post these as parts...**

 **OK...this is Chin's perspective on Steve. I will be doing one for each character and I do hope that this actually makes sense haha. I feel for Steve. I wish he would speak instead of swallowing all his pain. Man, he can act...**

 **Anyways...I hate long A/N so please leave me feedback to help better my writing ;) Thanks xxx**

 **Chin**

As the last pieces of information fell together over the coms, Chin closed his eyes and sighed. He'd just pulled up to the scene with all the other victims of a kidnapping. When Five 0 had gotten the co-ordinates, they'd rushed off to the scene, with Steve and Danny heading towards the kidnappers who escaped before they were cornered. They'd managed to split up, Steve chasing the perp with the girl he'd taken as leverage and Danny pursuing the other on foot. There had been a scuffle, on both sides. Danny managed to subdue his suspect and haul him off towards to squad cars that appeared in hordes. Steve, having tackled his man, had side stepped a bullet and Chin could only imagine his horror as it struck the helpless teen instead. He opened the door of the truck and let the other kids loose, ushering them towards their frantic parents before he turns to Steve.

Paramedics pry his hands away, practically shoving him onto his behind while they take over. Steve knows its too late. It was too late five minutes ago, but he wasn't ready yet to let go. Decision made for him, Steve curses and pushes himself up in one smooth motion. Chin's gaze travels over the team, and he sees them all busy with different things, closing up the case, tying up loose ends. A mother's howl of distress pieces through the cacophony of sounds and as her hands pummel Steve, pounding into him. He throws his head back but does nothing to stop her until Duke pulls her off and drags her away. He doesn't move immediately, but when he does, he's without direction. Chin follows slowly behind, at a loss of how to console the strongest man he knows. No one has noticed yet that Steve is frayed and coming undone. His friend carries a world of hurt on his shoulders. Chin can see it weighing heavily on him. He can see it in the tight set of his jaw. The lines of stress around his eyes. Clenched teeth and taught fists. In his posture and his stride. Steve is mentally tired. He's wearing himself out just thinking but he'll deny it. In his mind, everything that went wrong could have been avoided if he'd been a little faster, a little stronger, a little closer…

As fast, strong and close as he was, Steve was still only human. There wasn't any more he could have done. But he refuses to let go of his failure. None of them would have made it in time. Not in the situation they were facing. Besides, no one had any control of stray bullets…

Wound like a spring, tightly coiled, he keeps moving. Back and forth. Like a caged animal they're afraid to unleash. There's not much he can say to bring him down from this. Words are just that. Words. Steve needs more than that to believe he's done his best, and even then, he would second guess everything. He watches quietly, pausing as Grover appears and pats Steve on the back. A gesture of relief on his part, to have Steve whole and in one piece, but the man isn't ready to accept it. He shrugs the hand off gently and grimaces, turning back to the flashing lights ahead. They're from both the medics and the police, but Steve isn't focusing on it. He's mind is elsewhere. Probably rerunning the moments passed that led them to where they were currently standing.

The other set of flashing lights, all white and bright and irksome, comes from behind them. Chin knows what he has to do. Danny and Kono are busy with the families. Grover has moved over to intercept the Governor who looks relieved that this is all over. Steve looks lost amidst the flurry of activity. Everyone knows Danny goes ballistic when there are children involved. Very few know that Steve does too…

There's a hand holding a microphone heading towards the SEAL. Chin rushes ahead, beckoning for them to wait.

Steve seems to snap out of his thoughts and finally notices what is going on around him. He takes a deep breath, preparing to face the herd of news stations waiting to place blame on someone for the loss of one innocent life. No one cared that everyone else made it out alive. All they want is a story. He braces himself for the nastiness he's sure to follow, but Chin leans in close.

"Go, Steve. I'll speak to them." Chin tells him.

Any small gesture on his part will be nothing compared to what Steve just faced. His hands were still shaking, stained red, the metallic stench hard to ignore. The was a smear on his cheek too, just under his eyes, where he'd hastily swiped away unwanted tears. He'd held the teen while she bled out on the sand, whispering words of comfort in her last moments, unwilling to leave her. The kid may have been afraid, but Steve hadn't let her feel alone, crouched protectively over like a sentry, long after she was gone. Chin would not allow anyone to see Steve like this. Thank goodness for the incessant flashes of light and surrounding darkness hid the fact.

"You _**don't**_ have to do this." Steve tells him softly.

Chin knows he doesn't. He shakes his head. If he knows Steve, he'll be wanting to hear the accusations. He'll want to be judged and executed for his failure. He'll welcome the brutality because someone died on his watch. Someone who hadn't had the chance to live a full life yet. There was no way Chin would allow it. At the end of the day, they'd still managed to save the five other kids who'd been taken and held for a week and all for the sake of money.

"I got this. **_Don't_** worry about it, Steve. I'll handle the media."

Steve swallows thickly and looks away. He wants to say something but stops himself. Chin likes to think he sees gratitude in his eyes but there's so much more than that swimming in those dark blue depths. There's a load of worry mixed with self loathing and Chin wants nothing more than to wipe it away, but Steve had already done his part and burned himself to the ground. The least Chin could do for him was take the heat off his back while he recovered. Besides, without doubt, Steve would have done the same for any one of them if the tables were turned. He was built that way, to protect his Ohana...Now and then though, someone needed to step in and allow him to breathe. To protect him. To offer him shelter. He was but one man trapped in a storm right now, and Chin would gladly take the heat on this for him.

Steve will always **_DO_ **the _**DONT'S**_ , but this time, Chin would handle the _**IN-BETWEENS.**_


End file.
